Opportunities for influencing Labour policy:
Individuals and groups can read Labour’s key policy papers on line and contribute comments, criticisms
ideas etc . There are also 2 papers on forms of ownership and co-production of services. ( Alternative
Models of Ownership and Democratic Public Ownership.
We can put motions through branches and CLPs to Conference. D noted that for the first time this
year branches can put motions relatively late in the day without them having to flit the slot as a
contemporary motion. S/he thinks the deadline is late July.
We can try to influence the local election manifesto. This was attempted via the campaign group mtg, for the recent election but most of the input from KONP LP supporters didn’t make the final cut which
focused more on Labour’s local achievements such as having developed much better preventative
services in mental health.
In discussion, the local councillors say that there is little they can do about
the big political issues. What was folded into the manifesto was a commitment to give local people
open and honest information about wat is happening
We can raise issues/ make challenges to local councillors via direct meetings, e mails or letters. In
response to a question, we thought we had some impact doing this in 2018 when the ACOs were mooted and when the LA was asked to sign up to a Memorandum of Understanding for
setting up the West Yorks and Harrogate Integrated Care Partnership.
The Council refused to sign the NHS’s initial draft MOU and managed to get some significant alterations ( on paper !) regarding recognition of the social determinants of health, commitment to more transparency and accountability, avoiding being pinned down to a control total etc. etc.
West Yorks Campaigners have also had some influence in getting the Council to formally set up a West Yorks and Harrogate Joint
Scrutiny Board to scrutinise developments with the W Y&H Integrated Care Partnership/System.
In addition we can and do ask questions at Health and Wellbeing Board, joint West Yorks and Harrogate Scrutiny Board and local and West Yorks CCC meetings. There is no slot for questions at Leeds Scrutiny
Board although this is something we should take up. We could submit an issue for Scrutiny. If accepted
this would mean we get the opportunity to speak to the Board.
KONP is on the list to be invited to meet with Shadow Ministers et al in Leeds on June 1st, assuming
their visit to Leeds comes off. The plan is for several different sessions in different areas of Leeds, each
involving a mixed bag of local campaigns/ campaigners.
Influencing LP policy and Practice:
John Ashworth, Shadow Minister for Health has been talking to KONP and Health Campaigns Together. At
the recent HCT AGM he endorsed the broad sweep of our demands and the Reinstatement Bill. Barbara
Keeley , shadow minister for Social Care is doesn’t seem to be in the same space.
Local Councillors should be demanding that they have a say and we should be trying to persuade labour that it is not enough just to be preparing for Government ; they
should be building opposition at a local level.
We had a wide ranging discussion and identified a number of areas where we should be seeking to involve
and challenge the labour Party
Resolutions to Conference
2017 Conference reference back of the NHs policy and good resolution passed calling for non co-operation with Accountable Care Organisations has probably only just worked its ways through LP procedures so is still extant. No one was aware of any new draft motions to this Conference in circulation.
It is understood that the LP accept the gist of the NHs Reinstatement Bill .
Action :
– check whether the Socialist Health Association, KONP or anyone else close has a draft motion and
consider whether and what we might want to put to branches/CLPs.
– Ask people to put the Social care motion already circulating. Already putting it to Kirkstall branch
Working around Elections
Action:
We should consider producing a flier to use in the Euro elections and be prepared with a strategy if / when a general election is called. ( hustings ? , eliciting and publicising candidates’ commitments on
the NHS and Social Care / pledges etc.
Social care:
Action
We need to do more to challenge councillors to
– raise an outcry re shrinking social care services, patchwork of private providers, poor quality,
inadequate training and high staff turnover, undervaluing of the care economy etc
– bring domiciliary services back into public control – reverse outsourcing
– insist on ethical commissioning : living wage , standards of training , social value etc
Local privatisation CAMHS , private wards:
Sylvia has been taking up major concerns re the building of a new Child and Adolescent mental health Unit on St. Mary’s Hospital with MP Rachel Reeves et al on behalf of Leeds Hospital alert and Unison Retired
members are now supporting.
Interserve has the contract for building the unit and a fair degree of running it but they have gone bust / into administration, although there are manoeuvres to keep running.
Villa Care are running 5 step down wards within the NHs to try to get people off acute wards as there not
as there are not enough beds for new people. Many can’t go home because social services aren’t in place.
We need to get clear exactly what is happening now with Interserve and CAMHS and take this up widely with Labour MPs and councillors. We also need to publicise and challenge the use of Villa Care and the wards which are essentially warehousing people largely because of gross underfunding of Social Care.
Rapidly creeping changes in GP service/ Primary care:
John noted that GPs are being pressured into signing up to a new primary care network contract and by
carrot and stick ( bullying by any other name – G).
GPs are retiring faster than they can be replaced; they are struggling with endless new demands; people are waiting too long to see a GP, tasks are being pushed down a skills chain, the individual doctor patient relationship is on the way out, digital firms like Babylon are keen to move out of London and have mentioned Leeds.
Action
We need to take up campaigning / protesting about the shrinking and fragmenting of the GP service
with public and GPs and urge local Labour to get involved. KONP have just produced a draft primary
care charter, 999 and others are asking GPs not to sign up.
John is talking to /with SHA about this this weekend and we need to get our position firmed up and a campaign strategy implemented locally.
Migrant Charges, not right, not fair, not financially fruitful, risks individual and public health and thin
end of wedge:
Action
-Talk to the Trade Unions re launching a joint campaign and involve organisations s for asylum seekers .
( The Conference on 29.6 will raise the issue)
– Publicise through fliers, letter to YEP, facebook etc,
– press Labour to take up the issue with us.
NEXT MEETING Wed 29th May 6.30 – 8pm in the Victoria Hotel
NB Join the LEEDS KONP banner at Banners held High in Wakefiled Sat 18th May 11.30pm
in Smythe St. near Westgate Station
